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Friday, March 15, 2013

Auckland to go 'high rise.'

Auckland is
considering the possibility of going ‘high rise’ as it needs to fit another million
people in the next 30 years. That figure is what the ‘planner’ think is
feasible. Maybe they will be way under in their estimates as events overseas
play out. Either way, Auckland has to find a way to fit these ‘extras’ in. I suspect
that many of the new arrivals will come from overseas where such high rise
living is the norm.

I believe
that the new proposals are a good compromise between ‘spreading out and going
up.’ We cannot afford to keep sucking up productive agricultural land’ as that
is like selling the family silver so the proposal to build varying degrees of high
and medium density apartments is the way to go.

However we
must learn from the past and not build those ugly ‘pre-slum type examples that
we can see in parts of the city. All new developments must have access to open spaces;
ones that are safe and monitored. The last thing we want is gangs and hoodlums controlling
these new complexes. It is going to take a mind shift in attitude amongst the
new ‘dwellers’ to keep these places safe and stimulating.

I look
forward to a bustling city that has good public transport and lots of opportunities
for the inhabitants to enjoy their new city. If we don’t learn the lessons from
the past and form overseas then we are doomed to have an ugly and unsafe city.
We must not let that happen. As for me; well maybe I shall head for the far off
suburbs.